U.S. DOESN’T NEED MORE NUCLEAR WEAPONS TO DETER CHINA AND RUSSIA
As Washington reassesses its nuclear strategy, Erin D. Dumbacher has warned against expanding the U.S. nuclear arsenal, arguing that adding more weapons could weaken rather than strengthen American deterrence.
Her argument is that entering a new nuclear arms race with China would be costly and dangerous, while the use of tactical nuclear weapons could trigger an uncontrolled escalation.
Rather than increasing the size of its arsenal, Dumbacher argues that Washington should focus on modernizing its existing nuclear forces while strengthening its conventional military capabilities — including missiles, drones, air defenses, and ammunition.
The goal, she says, should be to make the cost of war high enough to deter aggression by Beijing or Moscow without crossing the nuclear threshold and increasing the risk of a catastrophic escalation.
“Once a conflict crosses the nuclear threshold, no one can win,” Dumbacher warns.
The central message is clear: the United States can maintain credible deterrence against both China and Russia without dramatically expanding its nuclear arsenal.